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Quin Hillyer identifies the “Worst Republican Senator” in The American Spectator online. He’s almost right; there’s one worse.

Hillyer’s choice is Lindsey Graham, and his devastating concatenation of the case against the Senator I have dubbed “Dramatic Chipmunk” (after his resemblance to the subject of this viral YouTube clip) is useful and timely:

He praises liberals, but reserves particular venom for conservatives who disagree with him. The most infamous example came at a speech to the utterly radical Hispanic group La Raza — it was bad enough that he spoke to them, much less what he said — when he described what he would do to opponents of the awful immigration proposal he helped Ted Kennedy craft: “We’re going to tell the bigots to shut up.” The idea that only a bigot could oppose the Kennedy amnesty plan was a recurring theme with Graham: On This Week, he told George Stephanopoulos that opponents were like those in earlier years who put up signs that said “No Catholics, no Jews, no Irish need apply.”

MEANWHILE, GRAHAM deserves every bit of abuse conservatives can heap on him for his record on judicial nominees, which swings back and forth between pathetically ineffective and absolutely counterproductive. Of his leading role in the “Gang of 14,” which saved the Democrats’ unprecedented option of filibustering President Bush’s nominees, Graham clearly thought his gesture of goodwill would win him some chits with Democrats. Think again.

Read the whole thing. I say it’s timely because Grahamnesty is, I fear, on the short list of McCain choices for the Vice Presidency–or at least for a cabinet position. McShamnesty relied on him as his go-to guy and amanuensis on the campaign trail, and they really seem to be two of a kind.

I used to think McCain would be too smart and too considerate of conservative opinion to pick Graham. Recent events have disabused me of such illusions.

I’m sure there’s some payoff for Graham down the line. If that payoff is the VP slot, so help me, I’m writing a check for $20 to Bob Barr on the spot.* I’ve promised myself I’d never vote for a candidate who advocated the legalization of narcotics, but I don’t recall any promises about sending him money. And if you think that the GOP is bummed now, there will be open revolt if Graham gets too prominent a post. Think the Democrats had an interesting convention in ’68?

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Oh, right: I said LG was second worst. The worst Republican Senator is, of course, Larry Craig. What a creep. What a hideous embarrassment. Albatross around the GOP’s neck, you say? More like some giant incontinent pterodactyl around the GOP’s neck. Like an incontinent pterodactyl with a furtive predilection for illicit pterodactyl sodomy in public restrooms. Why Idaho hasn’t risen up en masse and demanded his resignation is beyond me. He’ll be a real asset in the upcoming gay-marriage debate, I’ll tell you that.

Come on, Idaho. Next thing you know gay pterodactyls will be getting married, and when we need someone to blame, we’re going to blame you.

*I was listening to Glenn Beck a little while ago and he was venting about the Feinstein/Craig shamnesty sneak, and he paused and told his producer: “You know what? Book Bob Barr for another hour for TV next week, and an hour for radio.”